Tiger and Rory to square off in private game

Despite not battling it out again on Tour until Augusta and The US Masters, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, golf's highest ranked players, will have a private contest this week at the Medalist Golf Club.

Woods is due to team with former NFL star and Golf Channel host Ahmad Rashad against McIlroy and NBA legend Michael Jordan.

This, in theory, would be the deciding match after they won a round each in another such private game following their premature departures from the the Match Play Championship at Dove Mountain.

Rashad took part in their previous members-only game held at the same venue, which doubles as Woods' home course, while Jordan got to know McIlroy from time spent together at the Bears Club.

Woods is coming into the match off his 76th PGA Tour victory at Doral, while McIlroy, despite again failing to place in the top 5, had his confidence bolstered at the same event with his best round of the year so in hitting a bogey-free 7-under 65.

Only member and guests on the sign-up sheets will be allowed through the gate, so, unsurprisingly, the course has seen a flood of applicants for one-week memberships and requests for tickets.

In a similar contest held last year at the club, PGA Tour star Rickie Fowler and business manager Sam McNaughton were victorious.